The New Age
by Dark-Lord-Winston
Summary: The Fire country has fought a war, won and is embracing a new age, hopefully one of prosperity. But a masked villian threatens to destroy Konoha once more and the old crew must team together to combat it.


_Summary: When a young ninja finally achieves his dream it is at the end of a decade of war between Sound and Fire. Uzumaki Naruto, Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village marched into battle with the two legendary Sennin that were still loyal to the Leaf and defeated the third and his disciple, the traitor ninja Uchiha Sasuke. Now he must rebuild a world that has been literally torn apart by war._

_Centered on: Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata, Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, Inuzuka Kiba, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji and two O.C's Akimoto Hatsuyo and Hiranuma Hikaru. (These are only the main characters all the other ones will make appearances like Kakashi, Gai, the girls, Shino and so on.)_

_Pairings: Undecided beyond Naruto/Hinata._

_Rating: PG-13 for swearing and violence. _

_Disclaimer: Naruto is mine! I mean… no it isn't… feel free to use Hatsuyo or Hikaru in your own fics but tell me if you are._

_NARUTO_

The sun rose over Konoha Village like a flaming ship cresting a wave of clouds. It was a mid summer sun, bright and huge on the eastern horizon, rays falling like a curtain of fine golden silk across the rooftops and trees of the Leaf Village, mingling with the scent of flowers to cloak the early morning in a golden aura.

Uzumaki Naruto was roused from sleep and rolled over his hand groping blindly for the soft warm body that was suppose to be there. It found nothing and he groaned, opening one eye and then the other as though to confirm to himself that Hinata was no longer in the bed with him.

"Hinata?" He yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the back of his hand as he gazed around the small bedroom of their apartment.

"I'm here Naruto." Her soft familiar voice called back. She was sitting on the balcony that over looked the narrow dusty street, her legs slung over the side between the bars, her arms wrapped around herself as she watched the sunrise with her pale white eyes. She seemed to be looking beyond the horizon, as though searching for something she knew was there but could not reach.

That's when he remembered, on seeing the black silks of mourning draped over Hinata's slim figure. The funeral was today. Tsunade-Sama's funeral.

Naruto rose from their bed, wincing slightly as an unhealed wound stung and smarted at his side and walked over to sit behind his girl friend. He embraced her waist from behind and stroked her hair with one hand, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, closing his eyes.

"I'm okay. Just… worried." Hinata replied resting her hand against his. "Tsunade-Sama left us when we needed her the most. What is the Leaf going to do without a Hokage?"

"The council will pick a new one." Naruto whispered, he hadn't even thought of that since Tsunade's death. His dream was close at hand but such pursuits could wait until after the funeral. "Don't worry Hina. The Village has lost Hokage's before. We'll survive, we always do."

Hinata nodded and bit her lip as if thinking about something before drawing a slip of paper from inside her kimono. Naruto looked at it curiously; the handwriting that addressed it to Hiranuma Hikaru looked familiar but he couldn't place its owner or fathom to why Hinata would possess a letter addressed to the medic ninja.

"I convinced Hikaru-Chan to send this to her." She whispered. "We didn't expect a response. But we got one a couple days ago. She's coming."

"Who?" Naruto asked, wracking his brain for a name. The more he looked at that writing the more familiar it became, but still a name escaped him.

"Akimoto-Sama…" Hinata whispered again holding it like the paper was an illusion or a relic of unimaginable power that might tie them to their old friend. Naruto jumped and sat straight, letting go of Hinata. It had to have been five years since he'd seen Akimoto, and her last visit had lasted long enough for her to hand Tsunade a folder, smile and leave.

"Why is she coming?" He asked feeling a familiar anger breaking the daze of surprise. "She barely even knew Tsunade and she has no reason to come back to the Leaf without a Hokage to report to."

Hinata sighed and folded the paper again, slipping it inside her kimono.

"I don't know Naruto, what I wanted to ask you is… shall we tell them?" She sighed and folded her hands, thinking deeply. "It would be difficult… but would it be fair for us to just let her show up today in front of them?"

Naruto shook his head and stood, his lip curling at the thought of her.

"Don't tell them, she probably won't show up anyway and she's caused enough pain here already." He sighed and shook his head, rubbing at the bandage on his ribs. This day just couldn't get much worse by this point.

"I'm going to get dressed Hinata." He said shortly, irritated to have this subject brought up on this day of mourning. He leaned down and kissed Hinata's cheek softly before stalking back into their bedroom, still glaring about like he expected Akimoto to leap out of the woodwork at him.

Hinata Hyuuga sighed and slipped out the letter again, opening it and looking down at the rows of writing.

"Too much damage has been done Hatsuyo…" She whispered before looking back at the flaming sunrise.

_NARUTO_

_Review people! I don't want blatant flames or nothing but criticism but constructive comments are greatly appreciated! _


End file.
